THE 



science OF cynMeTRy 



BY 



Mrs. M. V. Coleman 



COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOR. 



ATLANTA, GA. 

BYPT &. PATTILLO, PUBLISHERS AND BOOKBINDERS, 

1887, 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

®]^ap itWtB^ I'J 

Shelf ..>^-5».? 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




THE 



Science of Gynametry 



BY 

Mrs. M. V. COLEMAN. 



1^. 



COPYRIGHT APrLIED FOR. 



WAY 31 mj}/^ 



ATLANTA, GA. 

BYRD & PATTILLO, PUBLISHERS. 

1887. 



< 



(pi 



c 



C'A^ '^-3c?^6 



THIS "BOOK 

Is Sympathetically Dedicated 

to 

THE WORKING WOMEN OF AMERICA. 



PREFACE 



In almost every periodical, from time immemorial, do we 
find dissertations on the " Influence of Woman." 

In every speech, heralded, in clarion notes, from rostrums, 
to graduating girls, do we hear that to our influence alone, 
all the future glories of a spotless name is due. From her 
triple kingdom, " The Kitchen, Parlor and Home," she is 
expected to send out representatives to wield the power 
with which she so cunningly imperviates the souls of the 
human beings, which have been mercifully given to her 
charge. 

If woman faithfully discharges the duties and the require- 
ments which man has placed upon her, she may feel assured 
that the Lord will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful 
servant;" thou hast sent out, from thy inexhaustible king- 
dom, those who are capacitated to tempt the appetite of 
man with delicately cooked viands. Thou hast given to 
thy daughters accomplishments by which their parlors are 
made fitting resorts of refinement and intelligence; and 
occasionally thou hast benefited mankind by giving to them 
" Leaders" who can fearlessly charge an opposing foe on 
the battlefield; and legislators who guide and direct their 
affairs in times of peace. 



Oh, woman ! surely much is expected of thee! Let us 
then shoulder our responsibilities, and discharge faithfully 
our duties. Let us teach the children how to make home 
pleasant, and while doing this, impress their minds with 
their chief duty, that of dressing well. 

Nature has provided richly for her inferior children, while 
God has endowed woman with reason, imagination, taste 
and ingenuity, to provide for herself clothing that will make 
her appear as fitting queen of every season. 

This is a question that troubles many intelligent and con- 
scientious people. The Christian is perplexed, men espe- 
cially are doubtful, about the usefulness of changes in cos- 
tume, and the effects of ornaments in feminine attire. 

The importance of dress in a moral point of view is sel- 
dom considered. Some sensible people often talk of the 
art of clothing as though it were of no importance; and yet^ 
the art of dress was the precursor of all arts ; it was the first 
invention of human ingenuity and skill, it was the first sym- 
bol of Divine mercy to our fallen race. 

The Bible, as we well know, is the standard of authority 
by which we test the right or the wrong of ideas and 
usages; let us see therefore what we can draw fi-om Biblical 
records, to sanction the importance we attach to this won- 
drous feature of the human, above the animal life. 

" Clothing has nine distinct phases of teaching the philos- 
ophy of its usefulness. It gives covering, comfort, comli- 
ness; it marks custom, condition, character and civiHzation; 
it symbolizes redemption through Christ, and the holiness 
of the saints in heaven." 



The first three phases need no comment. As to the 
manner in which clothing expresses character and condi- 
tion, read the 24th chapter of Genesis. 

When the servant of Abraham gave ear-rings and brace- 
lets to Rebecah, her character as a pure and lovely maiden 
was indicated; the jewels of gold and raiment showed her 
condition as the betrothed of a great lord, son and heir of 
the Hebrew patriarch ; and the " veil" that this Syrian bride 
threw over herself when she saw Isaac, was type of her 
feminine modesty and faith in his love, which crowned this 
young " damsel" with the delicacy and dignity of woman- 
hood. 

We might fill a volume with these evidences of the im- 
portance and significance of dress and ornament, from the 
testimony of inspired writers, but we will refer only to the 
"Kings daughter, all glorious within, her clothing of wrought 
gold. She shall be brought unto the king in a raiment of 
needlework." And also the " virtuous woman," whose 
*' clothing is silk and purple," and " all her household are 
clothed with scarlet." 

These examples show that not only character and condi- 
tion are represented by dress, but also the spiritual graces 
of godliness, and the virtues of home life, may be pictured 
forth in the perfectness and richness of personal apparel. 

Nor do these examples encourage useless extravagance. 
We give them only as guides to a more thoughtful study of 
this — in our country — important subject. 

It is only when the dress is appropriate to the wearer and 
becomes the time, the occasion and the ofiice, that magnifi- 



8 

cence in clothing is an honor to the wearer. Nor can we 
comprehend the full import of clothing, or its advantages, 
unless we look at the evil results that follow neglect of or 
disobedience to this law of necessity for the human race 
ever since the " Lord God clothed" the first man and 
woman before sending them out of Eden. From that day 
to this, dress has been the sign of hope and comfort to the 
individual, and the sure mark of progress in the arts of Hfe^ 
and in intellectual and social improvement. 

Thus we reach the moral of dress. A clothing of rags- 
symbolizes wretchedness, wickedness, imposture or imbecil- 
ity; nakedness is savagery, shameless sin, or extreme misery. 

Heathenism has no darker shadow on its God-forsaken- 
horizon, than the half-nude millions on millions of its wor- 
shipers. Wherever Christian civilization prevails, as in 
Europe and America, dirt and disorder in a household or 
in dress are proofs of ill-conditioned or ill-trained people ; 
the dress must be decent before we can have confidence in 
the character of any person. 

We feel and judge thus intuitively, because the instincts 
of humanity tell us that without decent clothing, there can- 
not be real delicacy of feeling, or true dignity of mind^ 
unless the "miserable" suffers from the sins of others. And 
this does not weaken the force of our moral of dress, that 
there is and has been wrong doing, whenever we see people 
badly or indecently clothed. 

Three requisites, palpable to common observation, should 
distinguish every Christian family — good clothing, house- 
hold cleanliness, and ready courtesy. 



We have only written to impress the importance of rai- 
ment. 

Fashion is one of the powers of the world, subject to the 
same moral treatment as all other influences. It is more 
potent than rank. Kings and queens do not rule it; rather 
like sorrow, it makes kings bow to it. 

French artistes, who may be accounted the priestesses of 
fashion, do not, we believe, do anything deliberately, but 
unconsciously follow its laws. 

To assist its votaries to the requirements of the " fickle 
goddess," I have carefully devised and arranged certain 
rules of measurement, by which garments can be easily and 
gracefully fitted to the body, which I propose to make 
known in the following pages. 



lO 



GYNAMETRY 

Is a science which relates to the outside measurement of 
the human body, on geometrical principles. 

We have been taught that man was created for a purpose, 
our Creator placing the muscles on the limbs, in just the 
position necessary for strength and action. So all the other 
organs of the body are designed and arranged to best suit 
the purpose for which He created us. 

The rules of proportion applied to the human body^ 
clearly demonstrate the fact that one part of the human 
body is in proportion to another. 

I have ascertained by careful attention, that one part of 
the body is in proportion to the other throughout the entire 
structure; that every muscle is a curve, and every joint is a 
circle ; and that for these reasons it is necessary only to use 
one measure to obtain a circle, and that another, or but one 
measure is required to obtain the size of the various parts,, 
and consequently of the entire body. 

With this measure, a geometrical figure can be drawn by 
which all the different measures of the human body can be 
obtained with great accuracy. By becoming famiHar with 
this problem, illustrated and described, it will be easy to cut 
a dress, or any other garment desired, which will fit per- 
fectly, without the necessity of trying on, which is some-, 
times annoying to those being fitted for garments. 



II 



To reduce this method to practice, I have devised the 
'diagram represented in Figure i, which is explained as fol- 
lows, and can be easily understood by the letters of refer- 
•ence marked thereon. 

DIRECTIONS. 

Take the" measure of wrist between the wrist joint and 
!hand. 




12 

With one point of the compass at A, draw a quadrant 
A B C, to the size of wrist measure, next with the arc B 
C, increase the figure to D E, that being the hne, or circle 
on which the length of back and size of waist both, are 
described. 

The length of back is determined by adding 12 and 3, 
parts of the measure, — by part is meant one-sixth — of wrist 
measure — to the arc D E, or taking i and 2 parts from 
said arc. 

These different lengths of back make the different classes 
to which bodies may belong, there being six in number, 
as designated by the numbers written thereon, nearest the 
point E. After getting the correct length of back, with 
one-fourth of it increase the circle a third time, making the 
Hne F A. The size of waist is determined by adding frac- 
tional parts of the wrist to the arc B C, or elbow measure, 
the smallest size having one part added, the second in size 
having two parts added, and so on, until the whole wrist 
measure is added for the largest size ; that makes one-half 
of the waist. After the correct waist measure is ascertained,. 
with one-fourth of waist proper, measure on line D E from 
point D to its terminus, then dot, draw the intersecting 
line from A to said dot, letting it continue to line E G. 

The numbers written on line D E nearest its centre de- 
note the different waist measures of any given wrist, while 
the figures on line F G denote the bust measure of its cor- 
responding waist. I do not mean the actual measure of the 
bust around the figure, but it is a dividing distance between 
the bust and hips. The waist measures, which are seven 



13 

in number, denote the different orders to which a body ma/ 
belong. I will here state that bodies belonging to the 6th 
class, as well as the first order, are extreme cases, and are 
rarely seen. Hence the measures for a body belonging to 
the 2nd order and 3d class, they being the most common^ 
are as follows : 

From D to Q is i^ of waist, which, in drafting, I will sim- 
ply call waist measure. 

From F to G is ^ of bust measure, which will be called 
bust measure in drafting, 

B C is the size of arm at elbow. 

A B is size of wrist. 

A B-[-tvvo parts is the size of hand over the thumb. 

D to E is the length of back. 

D F is the length from waist to pelvis bone, or what is 
more commonly known as hip joint. 

The length of back, plus two parts, is the length of inner 
arm. 

Twice the length of inner arm, plus A B — the wrist meas- 
ure — is the length of skirt. 

It will be found that a body perfectly proportioned in every 
other respect may sometimes have its length, from waist 
down, increased two and three parts, and sometimes as 
much as the entire wrist is added ; and again, it will be 
decreased in length as much as two parts. 



14 

Let it be here remarked that whenever such deformities 
occur, the body has certain pecuHarities, the study of which 
will prove interesting to many. The difference does not 
exist in the limbs proper, but from the waist to the lowest 
point of pelvis bone. 

Human bodies are divided into two classes, irrespective 
of sex, the square shoulder and the droop, or sloping shoul- 
der, the difference of which is barely distinguishable in 
some instances. An infallible rule for determining, is to 
notice the relation the arm sustains to the length of the 
waist. Fold the arm to the body if the bend of the arm — 
not the elbow, — be above the waist hne, then the body is 
square shouldered; if it comes on a level, or below the 
waist line, then it has sloping shoulders. Another way to 
determine the difference is to notice the toes on the foot. 
If the first, or great toe is the longest, it denotes square 
shoulders ; if the second toe is the longest, the body has 
drooped shoulders. I don't mean stooped shoulders, for 
they can be either square or sloping. 

It is necessary to know to which class a body belongs 
before it can be fitted, for this difference effecting the length 
under the arm, makes a difference in the shoulder and width 
of the body between the shoulders. 

It will be found that the length under the arm in drooped 
shoulders is just one-half the length of back, while in square 
shoulders it is one-half the back, plus one part. Again, 
there are different positions which bodies occupy: erect, 
moderately erect, and stooped. It may be noticed that 
whenever the length of back is short the body will be very 



IS 

erect, with pro' ninent bust and little stomach, while a body 
with a long back is just the reverse, consequently, bodies 
belonging to the first class are the most erect while those of 
the sixth are necessarily stooped. Opinions differ as to the 
cause of stooping, but I maintain that bodies are born so, 
for these positions are observable in infants as well as in 
children of larger growth. It may, also, be noticed that 
people with long backs are less strong than those with shorter 
ones ; these differences are observable in the carriage of a 
body, people who are very erect take short, elastic steps, 
while those who are stooped take slow, long strides. 

The human body is an exceedingly interesting study, and 
when a knowledge of its measurements be acquired, its 
beauties will be considerably enhanced. 

There is no doubt but the outside formation of the body 
indicates the capacity and strength of its inner organs. 
The cavity containing the brain will vary in width and 
length in the same proportion which govern the other parts 
of the body. 

Much could be written, and many ideas suggested, but 
as it is my intention to give only primary instructions in this 
little work, I will proceed to diagram 2nd. 





^ 




— ooV 

I'M 


o 


— -ICO 


CM ^ 


.-o 






Li- 


>_ 


L QFARN\ 


^ 



,,, " WA/ST. 

//3 „ WRIST. 

/^ .. BACK. 

U „ WAIST PROPER 



92 or wA/s 



TH OF BAC/<. 



., FROf^T 



r/Rsr pos/r/OA/, 



17 

Figure 2 

Is a diagram which represents the method of arranging the 
measures on paper to faciHtate the drawings. Those repre- 
sented in the Figure are for a body belonging to the 3rd class 
and 2d order, with square shoulders, and occupying the is; 
position. 

A B is a strip of paper, cut five or six inches longer than 
is required for length of back, double it, then point one end, 
as at A. Measure from the pointed end the size of wrist, 
indicate it by a notch,as at C; after the first quodrant is drawn 
measure from pointed end the length of arc, notch as at D, 
and so measure the arcs as they are drawn. Notice, the 
three whole arcs of the quodrants are indicated by the three 
notches as C D F. 

The fraction j^, worked nearest the pointed end, repre- 
sents literally, one-sixteenth of the waist measure, which I 
will call simply }^ of waist, as it is really ^ of the sectional 
part of waist, used in drafting, j/^ of the body. 

The character marked bust, is 3^ of the bust, proper, 
which, in the drawings, I will call bust measure. 

Remember that the 2nd order denotes 2nd waist measure, 
which is found by adding two parts, or y^ of wrist to the 
arc B C, or elbow measure, to get ^2 of waist proper ; 3d 
class denotes that the length of back is the length of arc 
for back. First position is two parts added to the back for 
length of front. 



'9 

rig. 3 is a Diagram for drafting back of waist for a body 
belonging to the 3rd class and 2nd order, having square 
shoulders and occupying the ist position. 

The difference in bodies with square and droop shoulders 
relate principally to the measure under the arm ; in droop 
shoulders the under arm measure is one part shorter than 
in square shoulders, hence the shoulder lowers one part, as 
represented by dotted lines at shoulder and arm's eye. 



Directions for Drafting Fig. 3. 

Draw the square A B C D to the length of back and 
width of ^ of entire waist measure. 

Incline the line D C to E C by using 2 parts of measure; 
ihence 

From D to E is 2 parts of measure. 

From E to F is i^ of waist ; draw the line parallel with 
incline line E C. 

From F to G is the width of back between the shoul- 
ders, which is the wrist measure plus ^ a part. 

From G to H is 14^ of width of back. 

From C to J is the bust measure — not really the bust 
proper, but a dividing distance, which is used to get a suf- 
tficient space for the waist and the necessary darts — a meas- 
ure which it is very essential to have correct, in order to 
•obtain a graceful fitting garment below the waist as well as 
above the waist line. 



20 

From E to I is i^ of length of back; for droop shoul- 
ders and for square shoulders it is ^ of length of backj 
minus one part. 

From I to K is 14^ of the length of backs, curve the 
arm's eye out to incline line. 

From K measure down the length under arm dot, as at 
httle c ; curve the waist line from that point to J. 

To ascertain the darts represented by O. On waist line, 
measuse j^ of entire waist then dot ; the remainder of waist 
line will be the quantity required for the darts ; divide it 
into four equal parts. One part must be taken out at the 
centre of back, one at the under arm line, and the two 
remaining parts or one-half between the two side bodies ; 
divide the arm's eye into three equal parts, then draw the 
intersections of the waist as represented by the lines, from 
arm's eye to waist line. 

For skirt of basque : 

From C to L is ^ the length of back, at the centre 
of back and under the arm. Curve the Hnes for skirt of 
basque out to their respective limits; the other lines for side 
bodies must be drawn parallel to their respective parts ; in 
other words, all the sides which go towards the back are 
drawn parallel with the back seam. 

In order to have the waist more symmetrical, one part is 
taken from the front under the arm, and added to the back., 
as the dotted line under the arm shows. 



21 



To show the philosophy in drafting garments upon said 
principles, a diagram is drawn, which is represented in Fig. 
5, showing the largest waist of the same wrist, which gov- 
erns Fig. 3. By observing the difference one can more 
easily understand where and how a body fattens. 

The arm just below the shoulder joint in bodies of ordi- 
nary proportions and positions will be found to be one-half 
the size of waist ; but as this measure varies according to 
position, it will be better for the student to take the meas- 
ure of the arm until she becomes familiar with the difterent 
forms ; for instance, in a very erect form or one with a 
very short back, if the waist be 24 inches, the arm may 
measure only 10 inches. Then the bust measure in draft- 
ing the back must be reduced twice, as there is a differ- 
ence of two inches in the arm measure. If the arm meas- 
ures 1 1 inches then the bust is reduced once. 

If the arm increases in size, which possibly may be the 
case in bodies belonging to the 6th class, increase the bust 
measure correspondingly. These differences relate only to 
the back; the bust measure in drafting the front remaining 
always in its natural proportions. 




Diagram for drafting front of basque, of the same class 
and order &c. as represented in Fig. 3. 



23 

Directions for Drafting Fig. 4. 

Draw the square A B C D as for back. 

From D to E incline the line as for back. 

From E to F is 14^ of waist. 

From C to M is the bust measure. Draw the line for 
waist, making the angle at C a perfect right angle. 

From C to G is the length under the arm. 

From G to H, horizontal across the square, is the wrist- 
measure. 

Draw the line H I parallel with waist line. 

From I to J is ^ the wrist, minus one part. Notice, the 
part from I to J is always one part shorter than its corres- 
ponding part on back, then remember that the distance from 
I to J in sloping shoulders will be Yz of wrist, minus one part. 
Draw the line J parallel with waist line. In ordinary forms 
from waist line, C M, to the line J is always the length of 
front, which is the distance sufficient for the under arm, 
arm's eye and shoulder incline ; these come under the head 
of moderately erect forms. If the length of front increases, 
or when the form is very erect the length of front will be 
found to be longer, hence enough is added above the line J 



24 

for an extended length of front. The same must be added 
at S to increase the size of bust, for one determines the 
other. 

To draw the shoulder. Place the shoulder of the back, 
which must be previously cut out, in an inverted position, 
the neck at I, letting the arm's eye reach to the line K at its 
nearest point, then draw the shoulder by back. 

From K to L is ii( of extended bust, if there be one, 
which, of course, there is, if the length of front reaches a 
point above the line J. If there is no extension of the 
length of front, then j^ of the natural bust size must be 
used for the width of neck on front. 

From L to M draw the line for front. 

From L to P is i/( of the length of back, minus one part. 

Q is the half way point between neck and waist line. 

From Q to R is one part of the measure. 

Draw the line S R, for height of darts, parallel with 
waist hne. 

All forms require a curve of i4 a part on the front as 
from R to S, hence, whatever is added for an extended bust 
must be measured from S. 

Draw the arm's eye as diagram shows. 

Ascertain the necessary quantity for darts as on back, 
divide it into as many parts as darts are required, place them 



25 

where fashion requires, these are represented by the letter O. 
Dotted line under the arm shows the part which has been 
previously taken off and added to the back. 

From C to T is 14; of back. 

From T to U is two parts of the measure. 



26 




Is a diagram arranged to show how and where the body 
fattens. It is drawn in the same class and position as Fig. 
3, but being in the 7th, or largest order, makes the differ- 
ence, which is apparent in the drawings. The space A B 
is increased with the waist which makes the natural increase 
for arm's eye, but the width of back from B to C remains the 
same throughout the seven different orders of any given wrist- 



27 

Figure 6 

Is a diagram for drafting sleeve. 

Remember the length of inner arm is the length of back,, 
plus two parts of the measure, in adults. 

In children the length of the inner arm and back are 
equal. When children begin to develop, the arms lengthen, 
as the waists grow smaller. 

Directions for Drafting Fig. 6. 



From A to B draw a straight line as a basis of operation. 

From A to C D E is i^ the length of back. 

From C to E is the waist measure, more or less, plus y^ 
of the wrist, a space sufficiently great for the increased 
upper part of sleeve. 

The line C D is divided into two equal parts, the line A 
B making the division. 

I [From the line C D to the line E C is ^ the length of 



arm. 



From F to G is ^ of elbow measure, the line A B 
making an equal division of it. 

Draw the line C F, also the line D C, letting it continue 
one part below to H for elbow. 



29 

From K, which is y. the Hne C D E, draw the line K I, 
letting it intersect the elbow line at point F, to the length of 
arm measure. 

Remark : If the body belonged to a larger order, the 
line C D E would be greater,-the elbow always remaining 
the same— the line K I would necessarily incline more, 
hence, the sleeve proper would materially shorten, although 
the same arm length would be used in drafting both. 

From I to J is the hand measure, which is the measure of 
wrist plus two parts of measure. 

From H to L is i]/^ parts of measure. 

From J to M is one part of measure. 

For Under Part of Sleeve. 

From C to K is ^4 of wrist. 

From H to O is 1 1^ parts of measure. 

From J to P is one part of the measure. 

Curve the top of sleeve, both upper and under, as dia- 
gram shows. 



31 



Figure 7 

Is a diagram for drafting skirt, front and side gore 

From A to B is ^ of waist proper. 

From A to C is the wrist measure. 

From C to E is j^ of waist. 

From E to D is one part of measure. 

Draw the line B D the length of skirt. 



From F to G is one part of the measure. 
From G to H is i^ of waist measure. 
From F to I is the wrist measure. 
From I to J is i^ of waist measure. 
From J to K is 2 parts of the measure. 



Draw the line H K one inch longer than length of skirt- 



front. 



32 



Concluding Remarks. 

To ascertain the measures for gentlemen, and little girls 
under the developing age, proceed as for ladies until the 
bust measure is found ; then from the fractional part of it, 
which is ascertained, take one part of the measure ; the 
remainder will be the correct bust, or literally speaking, one- 
fourth of the bust proper. 

For little boys, the waist and bust are equal. All the 
other measures are ascertained in the same manner as for 
ladies, and the drafting of the different Figures executed as 
fashion requires, embracing, however, the same principles 
throughout the structure. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




I •niiiiiiiiiiiiiliill Illlllllllll lining 

014 061 912 7 



